A look at the Sacramento Santa Parade over the years

A long journey and a dream come true, but future challenges for Sandoval family

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Silver and Black fans of the Oakland Raiders are fond of saying "Raider Nation," which means followers of the team are not only in the East Bay, but throughout California, the United States and world. But if team owner Mark Davis moves the Raiders to Las Vegas, which is putting up $750 million for a new stadium to house the NFL team, will fans from the Bay Area and Northern California cut their allegiances to "Raider Nation?" Fans share their opinion before Sunday's game on Oct. 16, 2016, at O.co Coliseum.
Hector AmezcuaThe Sacramento Bee

Tam Sugayan, of Newark, left, tailgates with other Oakland Raiders fans before the game against the Kansas City Chiefs at the Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum on Sunday, Oct. 16, 2016. Sugayan said they have been in this situation before, and until owner Mark Davis can get 24 of the 32 NFL team owners to agree, he is not that worried.
Hector Amezcuahamezcua@sacbee.com

A look at the Sacramento Santa Parade over the years

A long journey and a dream come true, but future challenges for Sandoval family

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Coach Jack Del Rio tells members of the media in his postgame interview, "that we're not playing very well right now, but are capable or more." In order to get the Raiders back on track, Del Rio suggest, "We gotta teach it better, we gotta learn it better and do it better...you correct what needs to be corrected and you move on."
Hector AmezcuaThe Sacramento Bee

A look at the Sacramento Santa Parade over the years

A long journey and a dream come true, but future challenges for Sandoval family

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"We didn't do good enough at all. That was bad," Oakland Raiders quarterback Derek Carr said about 26-10 loss to Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday, October 26, 2016 in Oakland.
Hector AmezcuaThe Sacramento Bee

Hector Amezcuahamezcua@sacbee.com

Oakland Raiders defensive back SaQwan Edwards (30) celebrates a long return with teammate Oakland Raiders defensive back Brynden Trawick against the Kansas City Chiefs in their game at the Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum on Sunday, Oct. 16, 2016.
Hector Amezcuahamezcua@sacbee.com

Oakland Raiders wide receiver Andre Holmes (18) celebrates a touchdown catch with teammate Oakland Raiders quarterback Derek Carr against the Kansas City Chiefs in their game at the Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum on Sunday, Oct. 16, 2016.
Hector Amezcuahamezcua@sacbee.com

Oakland Raiders defensive end Denico Autry, bottom, sacks Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Alex Smith (11) in their game at the Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum on Sunday, Oct. 16, 2016.
Hector Amezcuahamezcua@sacbee.com

Oakland Raiders defensive end Denico Autry (96) is congratulated by teammate Oakland Raiders outside linebacker Bruce Irvin after he sacked Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Alex Smith in their game at the Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum on Sunday, Oct. 16, 2016.
Hector Amezcuahamezcua@sacbee.com

Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Alex Smith (11) calls out a play against Oakland Raiders in their game at the Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum on Sunday, Oct. 16, 2016.
Hector Amezcuahamezcua@sacbee.com

Oakland Raiders wide receiver Amari Cooper, right, makes a first-down catch against Kansas City Chiefs cornerback D.J. White in their game at the Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum on Sunday, Oct. 16, 2016.
Hector Amezcuahamezcua@sacbee.com

Oakland Raiders wide receiver Seth Roberts is unable to come up with the catch against the Kansas City Chiefs in their game at the Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum on Sunday, Oct. 16, 2016.
Hector Amezcuahamezcua@sacbee.com

Kansas City Chiefs running back Spencer Ware, left, gains extra yards after a catch as he escapes the grasp of Oakland Raiders outside linebacker Bruce Irvin in their game at the Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum on Sunday, Oct. 16, 2016.
Hector Amezcuahamezcua@sacbee.com

Oakland Raiders wide receiver Andre Holmes returns to the bench after his team was unable to come up with a first down against the Kansas City Chiefs in their game at the Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum on Sunday, Oct. 16, 2016.
Hector Amezcuahamezcua@sacbee.com

Kansas City Chiefs running back Charcandrick West (35) is stopped as he runs down field by Oakland Raiders outside linebacker Bruce Irvin in their game at the Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum on Sunday, Oct. 16, 2016.
Hector Amezcuahamezcua@sacbee.com

Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Alex Smith (11) makes a pass against the Oakland Raiders in his team’s 26-10 at the Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum on Sunday, Oct. 16, 2016.
Hector Amezcuahamezcua@sacbee.com

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Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Alex Smith (11) is tackled by Oakland Raiders defensive end Denico Autry in the first quarter on Sunday, Oct. 16, 2016 at Oakland Coliseum in Oakland, Calif.
Jose Carlos FajardoBay Area News Group

Oakland Raiders receiver Michael Crabtree, left, fails to catch a pass in the end zone while being guarded by the Kansas City Chiefs’ Ron Parker in the fourth quarter on Sunday, Oct. 16, 2016 at Oakland Coliseum in Oakland, Calif.
Jose Carlos FajardoBay Area News Group

Carlos Trevino, of Ben Lomond, braves the rain as he expresses his feeling s with a sign to NFL owners to keep the Raiders in Oakland during the team’s NFL football game against the Kansas City Chiefs at the Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum, Sunday, Oct. 16, 2016 in Oakland.
Hector Amezcuahamezcua@sacbee.com

Ray Perez, who goes by “Dr. Death” at Raiders games, stood out of the rain under a portable tent in the Coliseum parking lot, his features hidden by silver and black paint, long black dreadlocks and a bladed helmet, his jersey pulled over football shoulder pads, and said:

“I almost didn’t dress up today.”

The West Sacramento resident thought about using Sunday’s game against the Kansas City Chiefs to protest the latest development in the Raiders’ long-running relocation saga. The team took a step toward a potential move to Las Vegas on Friday when Nevada lawmakers approved a bill to hike hotel taxes to raise $750 million toward a new $1.9 billion football stadium that would house the Raiders and UNLV’s team. Gov. Brian Sandoval signed the bill Monday.

“I will not go to Vegas,” Perez said before the Raiders’ 26-10 loss to the Chiefs. “As a Raider fan, I’m embarrassed. They’re raising taxes for a billionaire (Las Vegas casino mogul Sheldon Adelson), and they have schools under-funded. Putting Raiderdom aside, I’m embarrassed as an American to be a part of this.”

Not all fans tailgating at the Coliseum on Sunday morning were so incensed by the recent developments. Perhaps the rain pelting the parking lot subdued them. Perhaps Raiders fans have become numb to repeated threats of having their team pack up and leave.

It happened in 1982 when iconic owner Al Davis moved the Raiders to Los Angeles. It happened again in 1995 when Davis moved the franchise back to Oakland. Earlier this year, a proposed move to Carson did not garner the necessary support in a vote of NFL owners.

Following the Nevada Legislature’s approval of public funds for a new Las Vegas stadium, Raiders owner Mark Davis called the proposed facility the “proud new home for the entire Raider Nation.”

I will not go to Vegas. As a Raider fan, I’m embarrassed. They’re raising taxes for a billionaire (Las Vegas casino mogul Sheldon Adelson), and they have schools under-funded. Putting Raiderdom aside, I’m embarrassed as an American to be a part of this.

Ray Perez, Raiders fan from West Sacramento

“Honestly, I don’t react,” said Tam Sugayan of Newark. “We were in the same situation when the Carson thing happened. They approved the money, and the NFL flat-out denied the Raiders.

“(Davis) still has to get 24 out of 32 (owners’) votes. Until I see that he gets the 24 votes, I’m not worried about nothing.”

The Raiders need three-quarters of NFL owners to approve a move, with a vote likely at the owners’ meetings in January.

“Carson was a done deal before they walked into the room and voted,” said Gary Dowell of San Leandro. “Anything that comes out of their mouth until they vote is all smoke.”

Dowell and others provided a list of reasons the NFL would resist a Raiders move to Las Vegas. It would mean leaving the sixth-largest media market in the United States – albeit one that also has the 49ers – for the 40th-largest. It would mean taking a team out of an area swelling from the tech boom. It would place the nation’s most popular sport into a gambling hotbed.

“If they go, the first time there’s a fumble that causes them not to cover the point spread, people are going to turn on the NFL,” Dowell said. “They don’t want that.”

But most significant, fans said, would be the gulf between a game experience in Oakland and one in Las Vegas. Several gestured toward the thriving tailgate scene Sunday amid the rain, while recalling fan support that remained mostly constant the last 13 seasons even though the Raiders never posted a winning record in that span.

“You’re expecting 30 percent of the (Las Vegas) stadium to be filled with tourists? What kind of fan base is that?” said Chris Feist. “This is the fan base right here – in Oakland, L.A. even.”

Feist, 42, and his father, Frank, had a different perspective on the Vegas issue than most fans at Sunday’s game: They live in Nevada, making the trip from Reno.

“I honestly don’t think they will (move),” Frank Feist said. “I think that (Davis is) using this as leverage, to get somebody to poke up some money.”

Oakland city officials have vowed not to spend public money on a new stadium for the Raiders and said they are trying to develop a stadium plan that would keep the team and protect taxpayers. Along with public funds, the Las Vegas proposal reportedly is backed by $650 million from Adelson, along with a $500 million pledge from Davis.

“(Oakland) needs some tech billionaire to come up and say, ‘Here, I’ll give you a half a billion dollars,’” Feist said.

Until that happens, though, Raiders fans may need to consider Las Vegas a real threat. If the team did move to their home state, the Feists said, they’d attend “maybe one game.”

“It’s not the same,” said Frank Feist.

You’re expecting 30 percent of the (Las Vegas) stadium to be filled with tourists? What kind of fan base is that? This is the fan base right here – in Oakland, L.A. even.

Chris Feist, Raiders fan from Reno

On Saturday, Davis told ESPN that even if a move to Las Vegas is approved, he would keep the team in Oakland through 2018, with options at the Coliseum already in place for the next two seasons. For Oakland fans, that scenario would equate to an extended goodbye.

“Would I come to those two years? I don’t know,” said Dowell. “I’d have to sit down with my wife and have a long discussion about, ‘Do I want to put more money in Mark’s pocket?’ That’s what it would be – giving him more money.”

Dowell, though, is holding out hope he will avert that conversation. The Raiders were 4-1 entering Sunday, their best start to a season since 2002. For a rare Sunday, Dowell was getting ready to cheer on a first-place team.

“We’re going to enjoy this season,” he said. “We’ll worry about it in January.”